Wednesday, September 26, 2007

Anyone who has implemented Revit knows that the process to change the standard font style, office and project(s) wide, is not as simple as just changing a single setting. Unfortunately every form of annotation has its own setting for font data. That makes it incredibly flexible but it also makes it incredibly annoying and such a mundane task to change.

In the past I've suggested (others have as well in one forum or another) that Revit needs a notion of a Project Font. A single setting in a project that defines the font that SHALL be used. Okay fine for the project but what about families. That's where the hard part is anyway, opening up all those families and changing one parameter...close...repeat.

I suggest that in addition to the list of fonts offered us, while we create annotation content, that Revit provide a "font" choice that tells the family to use the project's Project Font assignment instead of being an individual going its own way. This way nearly all annotation content would simply be assigned the project font and whatever project file it was used in would display accordingly. No extra work for us.

If we need to use a specific font, to spite the project font, we just pick one instead and that's what the annotation uses in the project environment, thumbing its nose at the project font setting, radical upstart that it is.

In projects text and dimensions would also offer this option so a single change to Project Font applies internally as well as to external content loaded for use.

Sure sounds good when I write and read it...let's hope I'm right and they listen to me taking advantage of my little bully pulpit.

You turned off all the model categories in your view using Visibility/Graphic Overrides, the easily remembered VV or VG keyboard shortcut. Now you create or edit an element defined by a sketch and no linework...hmmm. Sketch Lines are a model category and are affected by the "Lines" category so you can't turn off the "Lines" category without losing them too. They don't appear as an item in the list because Revit assumes that it doesn't make sense to turn them off. Too bad turning off the parent category results in the same thing. Maybe sketch lines need to divorce their parent?

Short and sweet, they don't get along, not friends. When you place a Spot Dimension tool > Elevations or Coordinates in a view assigned to Wireframe it just won't find a floor surface. Revit is very literal, make it wireframe, no surfaces...no spot dimension tool. Just change to Hidden Line and suddenly it works nicely again.

Monday, September 10, 2007

A new build for Revit MEP has been posted, build number (20070829_2300)There are three pdf files you should read prior to downloading and installing. You can review and download the new build HERE.

Note that one of the documents explains changes to the folder structure and naming conventions for the MEP content. Be sure to read it!

The following is the text from the pdf, at the Autodesk site, that explains what issues have been addressed by this build.

Room Tags on Copy/Monitored Rooms no longer return question marks in certain situations.Improves stability when using the Split Tool on Pipes or Ducts.Multiple Sprinkler Systems can now be copied more consistently.Improves stability when modifying the shape of an Elbow with an open end.The length override for Duct Transitions remains consistent after changes to the connected layout.Improves stability when generating ductwork from a mirrored air system.Improves stability when demolishing a duct with two connected takeoffs.Improves stability after receiving a corrupt element warning when opening a project.Publish to DWF™ functions when Rooms are present and are clipped by the viewport.Improves stability when saving a Project with a linked DWG™ file that contains an image.Improves stability when applying a view template to a sheet view.Working on Windows Vista™ operating system, allows the ability to write to revit.ini, licpath.lic, KeyboardShortcuts.txt, and the Journals folder.Line-based families contained in a group are no longer flipped when the group is mirrored.Improves stability when importing group into Titleblock family.Allows the ability to export renderings to TIFF format.When temporary dimension text too small to read, user can adjust the size of the font through Revit.ini.Linked DWG file added by another user will now show up in Manage Links after reload latest.“Relative” spot elevation updates automatically with the change in Level elevation.When exporting to DWG file, overlapping lines that share a point are no longer missing in the resulting DWG.

Copyright, Trademarks and Attribution

Autodesk, AutoCAD, and Revit are registered trademarks or trademarks of Autodesk, Inc., in the United States and other countries. This site is not sponsored or endorsed by, or affiliated with, Autodesk, Inc.

Autodesk® Revit® products are wholly owned by Autodesk. Any reference to Revit, Revit Architecture, Revit MEP or Revit Structure, or Navisworks on this site is made acknowledging this ownership. Refer to Autodesk's own web site and product pages for specific trademark and copyright information.

Autodesk represents a great many products and every attempt will be made to respect their ownership whenever one of these other products is mentioned on this site.